Tag: sharepoint

When being Ignored teaches you everything

If your employer ignores you most of the time, then they turn their attention towards you, never in a way that helps. They expect you to mend years of neglect. They want you to perform miracles without context and then ask why you haven’t fixed it already. You explain — again — that you’ve asked for help, for guidance, for support, but were ignored because everyone else was “too busy.” That’s when you realise: they don’t want a technical author; they want a miracle worker. Demanding scenarios test the technical author’s resilience.

I’ve lived through that more times than I care to count. I’ve served under managers who were bullies. They took credit for my work and left me to take the blame when their own ideas fell apart. I’ve been sacked twice because I became the scapegoat for a junior manager eager to broaden his horizons without knowing how to do it the right way. Somehow, I managed to survive, demonstrating technical author resilience under pressure.

After the shock of those experiences, I tried to leave the profession altogether. But escape was impossible. Technical communication isn’t just a job you walk away from — it becomes part of how you think, how you analyse, how you explain. Still, the idea lingered: perhaps I could find a new path, somewhere I didn’t have to fight to be heard.

Being ignored forced me to grow and build my knowledge in

      • document control,
      • SharePoint,
      • metadata,
      • ISO standards, and
      • information management strategy.

Every new skill became a means of self-preservation and a step towards independence. My strength wasn’t just writing documents, but creating clarity in confusion. I turned chaos into structure. This growth marked a new level of resilience for me as a technical author.

Over the years, I’ve met many technical authors who perform communication miracles. Often introverted by nature, they bridge the gaps between.

      • development,
      • product management,
      • marketing, and
      • compliance.

They mediate conflicts, resolve ambiguities, and keep projects moving. They balance diplomacy and precision. Yet despite this, recognition remains elusive. Juggling all those pressures while being expected never to drop a ball is the unique burden of our profession. It truly tests our resilience.

When I look back, I can see how much those early challenges shaped me. The failures, the bullying, the long stretches of being overlooked — they all built resilience and empathy. They taught me how to read a room, how to listen, and how to pick my battles.

In later years, even as contracting became my refuge, the dream of escape began to fade.

Lone desk lamp symbolising resilience and focus in an overlooked workplace
Lone desk lamp symbolises resilience and focus in an overlooked workplace

Where would I go?

Who else would understand this strange blend of discipline, communication, and problem-solving?

This is where the resilience of a technical author comes in.

On more than one occasion, a recruitment agency shared something with me that has stuck in my mind:

“You’d make a great recruiter — you’re easy to talk to, confident, and you make even the most complex role sound exciting.”

Perhaps they were correct. During this time, I truly mastered translation—not just between systems and users, but also between individuals and possibilities.

My article appears after reading Dr Harald Schenda’s linked article. It resonated with me, and here is my response with his acknowledgement.

https://www.linkedin.com/posts/harald-schenda_technicalwriting-technicalcommunication-technischekommunikation-activity-7389332802388848640-01t8?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_desktop&rcm=ACoAAADzAZwBkR4cshHQHZzdgski5orzlKnCer0

Beyond the Dash Debate: How AI Is Reshaping Writing and Technical Authoring Careers

Beyond the Dash Debate: How AI Is Reshaping Writing and Technical Authoring Careers

Writers and technical authors often debate AI’s punctuation quirks — from dash usage to tone. But while we’re arguing over commas, something larger is happening.
Artificial intelligence is not changing how we write; it’s changing why we write — and what value we bring when machines can generate text faster than we ever could.

The question isn’t whether GPT overuses em dashes.
It’s whether we’re ready to evolve beyond them.

1. From Author to Information Architect

AI can produce paragraphs in seconds, but it can’t design the logic behind them.
Tomorrow’s writers won’t just create content — they’ll become information architects who define structure, intent, and compliance.

In regulated environments such as the defence, nuclear, or financial sectors, AI still needs guidance on how to ensure documents comply with frameworks such as ISO 27001, ISO 9001, or PCI DSS.
Writers who understand these standards — and who can teach AI systems to follow them — will remain essential.

2. From Content Creation to Documentation Governance

The flood of AI-generated content means accuracy, version control, and authorship assurance have become critical.
This is where documentation governance takes centre stage.

Technical authors can pivot from writing to governing:

      1. Reviewing AI output for factual and procedural accuracy.
      2. Enforcing metadata and lifecycle rules within DMS tools like Asite or SharePoint.
      3. Building automated checklists and templates that ensure consistent document quality.

AI can draft — but humans must validate.

3. Human Interpretation Still Matters

AI can mimic tone and style, but it cannot sense how a message lands.
When a document must persuade, reassure, or instruct, context becomes everything.
Writers with empathy, domain understanding, and communication insight remain vital to bridging human and machine.

The technical author’s future lies in translation and interpretation: turning data into understanding, and ensuring meaning survives automation.

4. Ethics, Attribution, and AI Literacy

As organisations adopt AI-assisted documentation, they’ll face new ethical challenges:

      1. Who owns AI-generated content?
      2. How do we ensure traceability of information sources?
      3. How do we prevent bias and misinformation?

Writers and documentation specialists can lead the development of AI content policies, establishing governance frameworks and training programmes that uphold accuracy and transparency.

Becoming an AI-literate communicator is now as valuable as being a clear writer.

5. Adaptation, Not Extinction

AI doesn’t erase writing jobs — it redefines them.
Those who adapt will move from creators to curators, validators, and strategists.

Future-ready writers will:

      1. Design content architectures rather than just fill them.
      2. Develop governance systems that manage AI output.
      3. Train teams in writing assurance and ethical documentation.
      4. Blend communication, compliance, and creativity.

In short, they’ll stop being hands-on writers and start being writing strategists.

Conclusion: Evolving Beyond the Dash

So yes — debate GPT’s dash usage if you like.
But remember: punctuation debates won’t protect your profession.
Evolution will.

Writers who move toward governance, structure, and strategy will not just survive AI — they’ll define how it’s used.
The end of writing isn’t coming.
It’s simply the beginning of a new chapter.

Call to Action

If you’re a technical author or documentation manager looking to future-proof your role, start building skills in information architecture, AI literacy, and documentation governance.
Follow techwriting.co.uk for upcoming guides on adapting your documentation strategy in the AI era.

Why Isn’t Technical Authoring Taken as Seriously as Business Analysis?

Business analysis has established itself as a standard in structured career paths. Business analysts operate within a framework that includes certifications from BCS and IIBA, as well as a global knowledge base represented by the BABOK. They play a vital role in driving business success. However, why hasn’t technical authoring training kept pace with the discipline and received the same level of recognition?

Yes, there are training courses for technical authors—but for those of us with real-world experience, most courses offer little new. They often cover areas we’ve long since mastered: writing, using templates, and understanding basic tools. That leaves a pressing question:

Why hasn’t the technical writing profession grown to support mid- to senior-level authors with meaningful, strategic development?

The Perception Problem: Writers vs. Strategists

Part of the issue lies in perception. People often view technical writing as a “support function”—a downstream activity added after the “real” work is done. In contrast, business analysts work upstream, shaping project and product design.

Because of this, organisations rarely invest in upskilling technical writers beyond entry level. We receive tool-specific training, such as MadCap Flare, FrameMaker, and DITA, as well as refresher courses on grammar and plain English. Training in information strategy, content governance, and integrating documentation with Agile processes is essential, yet it is rare. These skills are vital for technical writers to excel in high-performing digital teams.

Why Experienced Technical Authors Avoid Most Training

As a senior technical author, I know training courses are available on the market, but I’ve yet to find any that add value to what I already know.

Here’s why most courses don’t appeal to experienced writers:

      • Too basic, they cover foundational topics like sentence clarity, structure, and Microsoft Word formatting.
      • Tool-led, not strategy-led: Courses focus on software, not how to use documentation to improve business outcomes.
      • One-size-fits-all: Most assume a junior audience, not someone managing document lifecycles or architecting knowledge bases.

This gap motivated me to independently pursue learning through peer networks, mentoring, and cross-disciplinary knowledge, often without formal recognition or support.

What Training for Technical Authors Should Look Like

If we’re to upskill and advance, we need training that goes beyond surface-level writing mechanics.

High-Value Topics for Mid-to-Senior Technical Authors:

Focus Area Why It Matters
Information Architecture & UX Writing Create usable, intuitive, and findable documentation across systems and platforms.
Agile/DevOps Documentation Integration Align with sprint cycles and release documentation iteratively.
Content Governance & Strategy Build scalable systems for content reuse, version control, and quality assurance.
Metadata and Taxonomy Design Essential for working in SharePoint, Asite, or any modern content repository.
API & Developer Docs More projects now require integration-level documentation and OpenAPI familiarity.
AI-Assisted Authoring learn  how to partner with, not be replaced by, content generation tools.
Accessibility and Inclusive Writing Meet compliance, usability, and ethical standards for broader audiences.

The Bigger Issue: Lack of a Unified Knowledge Base

Business analysts have the BABOK, project managers have PRINCE2 and PMBOK, and technical authors? We have fragmented resources, small communities, and ad hoc training.

There is currently no universally accepted body of knowledge that technical authors follow. No recognised framework exists that organisations can use to:

      • structure roles,
      • develop teams, or
      • plan career paths for technical writers.

Until we establish such a structure, we will continue to be seen as individual contributors rather than strategic enablers.

What Needs to Change

To elevate the profession of technical authoring, we need:

      • Advanced Masterclasses for experienced authors.
      • Courses that blend strategy, tech, and communication, not just software skills.
      • Advocacy from inside the profession—to influence HR, procurement, and leadership views.
      • Recognition of our roles in content strategy, product success, and compliance.

Final Word: It’s Time to Professionalise the Profession

Training for technical authors exists, but unless it reflects the real-world complexity of our roles, it won’t be worth our time or investment.

Technical authors are no longer just documenters—we’re architects of information. Our training, recognition, and role in organisations must reflect that.

Let’s continue the conversation

Have you taken a valuable course? Do you want to help shape better training for technical authors? Let’s talk.